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Ward Melville Patriots pounce in second half

by Rita J. Egan - March 24, 2022

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Ward Melville opened their 2022 lacrosse campaign with a home game against West Islip March 22.

Trailing by one goal at the half the Patriots’ sticks spoke loudest the rest of the way cruising to a 9-5 victory in the non-league season opener.

Ava Simonton led the way scoring her hat trick, and Grace Balocca found the net twice. Grace Mulham, Courtney Quinn, MJ Timpanaro and freshman Peyton Phillips all scored. Ward Melville retakes the field Saturday morning at home in another non-league contest against Garden City. Game time is scheduled for 10 a.m.

Port Jefferson Royals’ impressive season comes to an end

by Bill Landon - March 20, 2022

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The Royals of Port Jefferson stayed just ahead of the Frogs of Carle Place on March 9 in the Class C Long Island Championship game at Shoreham-Wading River High School until halfway through the 3rd quarter when the Nassau champions tied the game at 28 all.

From there, Carle Place edged ahead with their surging defense controlling the boards and put the game away 55-44 to advance to the New York State regional finals Mar. 12.

Lola Idir topped the scoring chart for the Royals with 3 triples, 3 field goals and a pair of free throws for 17 points. Senior forward Abigail Rolfe scored 4 from the floor and was again perfect from the charity stripe — sinking 5 for 13 points — and senior Annie Maier nailed 3 triples and a field goal for 11. The Royals conclude their 2021-22 campaign with an impressive 17-4 record.

SBU Sports: Seawolves baseball team falls in series finale at Old Dominion

by Press Release - March 19, 2022

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MH012987 — Devin Sharkey. Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook baseball team was not able to get it done in its series finale, dropping the final match of a three-game set at Old Dominion in Norfolk, Virginia on March 13.

Stanton Leuthner and Derek Yalon each led the Seawolves with a pair of hits, with Yalon recording a pair of RBI, including a fourth-inning home run. David Alleva recorded his first collegiate RBI, lacing a double to right before Yalon’s run-scoring single gave Stony Brook an early advantage. Leuthner added a third-inning double to score Brett Paulsen in the third, then the Seawolves added two more in the fifth with a Cole Durkan RBI single and Stanton scoring on a wild pitch one batter later.

STATS AND NOTES

Leuthner has increased his on-base streak to 14 games to start the season after his 2-for-3 effort.
Yalon’s homer is also the first of his collegiate career, driving in RBI No. 20 in his third Stony Brook season.
Shane Paradine has recorded a hit in seven consecutive.
Stony Brook also worked a season-high seven walks.

UP NEXT
The Seawolves open a four-game homestand on March 23, taking on Iona with a 3 p.m. first pitch at Joe Nathan Field. Conference play begins on March 25 as UMass Lowell comes to town for a three-game set.

SBU Sports: Men’s lacrosse edged by Brown in tightly contested battle

by Press Release - March 18, 2022

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SBU Sports Men's Lacrosse — Photo from Stony Brook Athletics

The Stony Brook University men’s lacrosse team (4-2) was edged by No. 16 Brown (5-1), 10-7, on March 12 in Providence, R.I. The Seawolves and Bears locked up in a tightly contested battle with both teams displaying their defensive prowess throughout the game.

Stony Brook controlled a 5-3 lead going into the halftime break as their offense was fueled by sophomore attack Dylan Pallonetti who scored a pair of first half goals. Pallonetti’s second goal of the game gave the Seawolves their largest lead as he was set up by senior midfield Mike McMahon.

Brown used a second half surge to go out in front of Stony Brook and ultimately seal the game in its favor. The Bears outscored the Seawolves, 7-2, in the second half and used a 6-0 scoring run in the third quarter to go out in front.

Despite the result, Stony Brook controlled the X once again. Junior face-off specialist Renz Conlon dominated on face-offs going 16-for-21 on the day which marked the second game in a row that he won 15 or more times at the X.

The Seawolves limited Brown to 10 goals in the game, the fewest that it has scored in a game all season. The Bears entered the game ranked 10th in the nation in total offense averaging 10.8 goals per game. It was the third time this season that the Seawolves held an opponent to 10 goals or fewer in a game (held St. John’s to 10 goals & LIU to six goals).

“Frustrating game with us up 5-3 at half and then struggled in the third quarter with decision-making and clearing. Brown took advantage with a six-goal quarter and we just couldn’t make enough positive plays to stop their run or comeback. At the end of the day, we just didn’t play as tough as we needed to and that is on me,” said head coach Anthony Gilardi.

Women’s softball powers past Army West Point in USF Tournament finale

by Press Release - March 18, 2022

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SBU Sports softball — #25 Shelbi Denman, left, celebrates the team's win with #10 Nicole McCarvill Photo by Derrick Tuskan/ Yale Athletics

The Stony Brook University softball team (9-5) powered past Army West Point (5-15), 10-1, in five innings to close out the USF Tournament on March 13 in Tampa, Florida. The Seawolves used a complete team effort en route to their ninth win of the season.

Senior pitcher Shelbi Denman went the distance for Stony Brook as she surrendered one run (earned) and struck out three in her team-leading fifth win of the season. Denman gave up five hits (three singles, two doubles) and did not walk a batter in 5.0 innings of work.

“We played a complete game today to successfully cap off a very good weekend for our team. Shelbi threw a great game, our defense was solid and we were so productive offensively, scoring in many ways throughout the lineup. We are responding well to our tough schedule and figuring out what it takes for us to win,” said head coach Megan T. Bryant.

The Seawolves opened the game up in the bottom of the second inning when they plated six runs. Junior catcher Corinne Badger got the scoring going as she launched a solo home run to tie the game up at 1-1. Sophomore outfielder Alicia Orosco drove in a pair of runs with a single to center that scored freshman outfielder Alyssa Costello and sophomore infielder Sofia Chambers.

Sophomore infielder Kyra McFarland brought home a run with a safety squeeze and sophomore utility Catherine Anne Kupinski followed with an RBI single to center field.

Stony Brook used a four-run bottom of the fourth inning to take a 10-1 lead, a score it would go on to win by. Senior infielder Nicole McCarvill drove in a run with a double to left center field for her third hit of the ball game.

SBU Sports: Women’s lacrosse takes down Florida Gators 14-13

by Press Release - March 14, 2022

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SBU Sports women's lacrosse — #14 Kailyn Hart during last Saturday's game. Photo courtesy of Stony Brook Athletic

Scoring eight of the first 10 goals, the No. 5 Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team flew ahead at No. 11 Florida and withstood a late run to earn a big road victory, 14-13, over the host Gators on March 5.

Tied up heading into the fourth quarter, Ellie Masera put the Seawolves back ahead by one at 12-11 with her third goal of the game. After the Gators came back and knotted it at 12, Kailyn Hart joined Masera as they went back to back with two goals in a 2:11 span to give Stony Brook the winner and some insurance late.

The two squads split the opening goals, the visiting Seawolves scored five unanswered and seven of the next eight to seize control. Jaden Hampel recorded three points during that stretch, while Masera added the other two of her four goals.

Florida came back, however, scoring the final two of the third and totaling seven in the third to knot the proceedings heading into the fourth. Charlie Campbell made two big saves early in the period, one on an eight-meter attempt with 11:45 to play. 31 seconds later, Siobhan Rafferty gave Stony Brook the lead at 12-11 in a big swing of momentum.

Stony Brook answered Florida’s tying goal with a tally of its own one minute later, and after the Seawolves took the lead, Rafferty forced a turnover that would lead to Masera’s game-winner.

“It’s a great road win against a great team. Florida is a tough place to play and I am super proud of our squad! We showed great toughness being able to absord a huge Florida run and respond in a big way! This is the type of win that helps galvanize a team and I’m happy they get to experience it. We have some things we need to clean up but there is only one way to gain bigger game pressure and it’s being in, and thriving in, those situations,” said head coach Joe Spallina.

Up next, Stony Brook’s stretch of ranked opponents continues on March 10 when they head to No. 6 Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., before returning home the following Sunday against No. 20 Johns Hopkins at LaValle Stadium.

SBU Sports: Men’s lacrosse falls to Rutgers 17-16

by Press Release - March 11, 2022

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The Seawolves stood toe-to-toe with No. 4 Rutgers for 60 minutes, but fell just one goal short as the Scarlet Knights pulled away with a 17-16 victory on March 5. Stony Brook put forth a valiant effort, which included cutting a five-goal deficit to one with 4:58 to play in the game.

Lacrosse is a game of runs, and today’s contest featured its fair share by each side. The Scarlet Knights were able to grow their advantage to as large as five goals to go ahead 17-12 with 9:54 to play in the game. The Seawolves went on to rattle off four consecutive goals to cut the lead to 17-16 with 4:58 to play.

Despite the strong come-from-behind attempt, Rutgers was able to hang on to seal the game by the final score of 17-16. Graduate midfield Mike McCannell and sophomore attack Dylan Pallonetti led the offense for the Seawolves. Each finished tied with a game-high five goals, while McCannell led the way in points with six (five goals, one assist).

“It was a great lacrosse game. We knew going in it was going to be an up and down battle, with both teams throwing haymakers, and one would be left standing. We were one play short at the end there, but the fight and resiliency of our group was awesome. We just made one too many mistakes at the end of the day. I’ll take our guys in a tightly contested lacrosse game any day,” said head coach Anthony Gilardi.

Next up, the team travels to Providence, R.I. to face Brown on March 12.

Comsewogue High School junior on the autism spectrum never gave up

by Julianne Mosher - March 11, 2022

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It’s “mamba mentality,” Cole Keating, an 11th grader at Comsewogue High School said.

Cole, who just turned 17, is on the autism spectrum. High functioning, his mom Lea Keating said that Cole might be different, but that doesn’t mean he’s not less.

The high school junior, who idolizes stars like the late Kobe Bryant and is a fan of the Knicks, always wanted to be on a team. He simply wanted to play. It was Bryant who once said mamba mentality means to be able to constantly try to be the best version of yourself.

Ever since he was little, Cole said, he loved sports — especially basketball because of his height. “I’d play with my Little Tikes basketball hoop,” he said. “I wasn’t very good — not like what I am now.”

People who are on the autism spectrum often have special interests that they become passionate about. Cole has always been into sports. Lea said that ever since he was little, he would memorize players scores and rankings. He’d watch any game he could find on TV. Funny enough, she said neither she or her husband are big sports fans. But they do have one that they cheered on every week this past season: Cole — No. 40 on the court.

Since middle school — seventh grade to be exact — all Cole wanted to do was get onto the junior varsity team. However, he never made the cut. He eventually joined an off-campus travel league two years ago created by Glen Santoro and that’s where he began to excel, learn the ropes and get out of his comfort zone.

“Cole unfortunately didn’t make the team a couple of times in the school district and his mom said to me that he was looking for a place to play,” Santoro said.

Since it was a travel team, he told Lea and Cole, “It was going to be very intense, a lot of running and yelling,” and added, “But I was so blown away by how prepared and how serious he was … and how much he wanted to improve.”

Cole’s mom explained that, “Sports always calmed Cole down. His social skills come into play on the basketball court.” He would practice after each game, taking critiques and working hard to get it just right. “Even the little things that I yelled out during the game, he took seriously and wanted to work on,” Santoro said.

Fast forward to now.

The athlete towers at 6 feet, 3 inches tall over his teammates as he shoots and every so often scores. “He knows how to use his body well,” Santoro said.

“He’s smart, he knows what to do and he knows his role. By using all that, he was finally able to make the school team.”

It wasn’t easy, said Comsewogue JV basketball coach Noah Buffins. “The first few rounds of tryouts, I cut him,” he said. “But what makes this story great is that he won’t stop.”

After growing and learning from Santoro and that travel team, Cole finally gained the confidence to try out one more time for the Warriors.

“I think Cole is able to show coach what he’s learned over the last couple years — what he’s learned, how he’s grown and what a great player he has become and he helped us win games over the years,” Santoro said. “He really listened.”

And in the fall of 2021, Cole tried out. Lea received a text that read just three little words, “I did it.” He followed it with, “It’s about time.” Lea screenshot the message and sent it to everyone.

“Our second game of the year was a very big game, Longwood,” Buffins said. “We put him in the game and we win the game … I was blown away. You can tell he’s got so much passion and so much love for it that nobody’s going to stop him.”

Buffins said that he is happy he was able to share these memories with Cole over the season: “That’s what it’s about … making memories.”

And the memories are great ones.

Lea said that Cole had his first actual birthday party with his teammates, who have become his friends, just last month. The guys took him to Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner and hung out together to celebrate the big 17.

“A lot of times when you’re on the autism spectrum, you think about yourself a lot and it’s hard to get outside of yourself,” she said. “So, for him to have the opportunity to have genuine real friends and to support his team, basketball has taught him all these life lessons that we’ve always tried to teach him.”

So, what’s next for this superstar? He’s gearing up to try out for the varsity team next year. The ultimate goal is when he gets to college to play for a D1 team, too.

Mamba mentality — he’s making Kobe proud.

T-Birds too much for Northport Tigers

by Bill Landon - March 7, 2022

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The Northport Tigers led by two points with 41 seconds left in the game but Half Hollow Hills East retied the game at 43 all with nine seconds left in the Suffolk County Class AA finals.

Northport senior Nick Watts got the inbound pass and let a three pointer fly that just rimmed out forcing overtime as the clock ran out. The T-Birds found their second wind in the in the final 90 seconds of the four-minute overtime period for a 56-50 victory at Smithtown East High School Mar. 5.

Watts led his team in scoring with five field goals, a three pointer and two free throws for 17 points and teammate Brendan Carr a junior sank five 3-pointers for 15 points.

Northport concludes their 2021-22 campaign with an impressive 21-3 record.

Longwood Lions tame Northport Tigers

by Rita J. Egan - March 6, 2022

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The Tigers of Northport, the No. 2 seed, faced the top seeded Lions of Longwood, both teams with 12-1 winning records in the Class AA final at Smithtown East High School Mar. 5. The Tigers clung to a one-point lead in the closing minutes of the third quarter holding off the Lions 43-42, but Longwood found it’s legs in the final eight minutes of play to win the game, 65-54.

Northport senior Sophia Yearwood led her team in scoring, nailing five triples for 15 points,. Senior Allison Soule had six from the floor and a free throw for 13, and Kennedy Radziul, a sophomore, netted 11.

The win propels Longwood to the Section XI title game as the large school qualifier where they’ll face the small school winner, West Babylon, at their own home court Mar. 7.

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